Employer Sponsored Visas Update

Following the announcement at the press conference at the end of April, on 5 May 2023 the Department of Home Affairs posted further information on TSMIT and ENS TRT on its News and Media page.

TSMIT increase

TSMIT will increase from $53,900 to $70,000 on 1 July 2023.

New nominations lodged ON or AFTER that date will be required to meet the new TSMIT of $70,000 or the annual market salary rate, whichever is higher.

Applications lodged BEFORE 1 July 2023 will not be affected.

Any concession to the TSMIT that exists in a Labour Agreement will continue at the current proportion ie, if there is a 10% concession on the $53,900 current TSMIT, there will be a 10% concession on the $70,000 level (eg $7000) from 1 July 2023.

*TSMIT stands for Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold and is essentially the minimum wage an employer can sponsor someone on.

Expanded pathways to permanent residence

By the end of 2023, the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Subclass 186 (employer sponsored PR visa) will be amended.

• All Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) SC 482 visa holders will be eligible for ENS visas sponsored by their employers.

• Applicants will need to continue to work in the occupation nominated for their TSS visa(s).

• Sponsored visa holders will be eligible for ENS TRT after two years (down from three years) of sponsorship on a TSS by their employer.

• Applicants will need to meet all other nomination and visa requirements for the TRT stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme visa.

• The limit on Short Term stream TSS visa applications that can be made onshore has also been removed in the interim.